Process begins for govt formation in Srinagar

The die for government formation in India-held Jammu and Kashmir was cast on Saturday with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti staking claim to power and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporting her claim before Governor N.N. Vohra at the Raj Bhawan here.

After meeting Mr Vohra, both PDP chief and Nirmal Singh, leader of the BJP legislature party, said the process of government formation by the two alliance partners had begun after Ms Mufti claimed to form the next elected government in the state and the BJP supported her claim before the governor.

Addressing media personnel after coming out of Raj Bhawan, Ms Mufti said: “The vision of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be fulfilled with renewed vigour by our government. Mufti Sahib’s vision of development and peace will be fulfilled by the coalition government to be headed by me.” Asked whether there had been any last-minute hitch over sharing of portfolios with the BJP, she said: “Portfolios are not important. That is something we can sit together and sort out.”

Mr Singh said his party had supported Ms Mufti’s claim to power and the new government would take office in the disputed state soon.

When asked to specify the date when the oath-taking ceremony of the new government would be held, Mr Singh said no date had been decided yet for the ceremony and the same would be mutually decided during the meetings of the two parties in the coming 2-3 days.

Jammu and Kashmir was placed under governor’s rule on January 8, a day after then chief minister Mufti Sayeed passed away in New Delhi.